News from the Arbor Day Foundation

Thank you for your continued dedication to the health of your community forest and participation in the Tree City USA program. We want to make you aware of a special grant opportunity focused on community resilience, available exclusively for recognized Tree City USA communities. The deadline for application is February 21st, 2020 – read on to learn more and apply.

As communities face more frequent disturbances associated with climate change, research has shown that increasing green space can keep cities cooler, control storm water, and capture air pollutants—while reducing stress, energy needs, and neighborhood crime rates. As a recognized Tree City USA, you understand the benefits of nature-based solutions for strengthening your community’s beauty, livability and environment benefits. Bank of America and the Arbor Day Foundation want to help elevate your work.

Bank of America and the Arbor Day Foundation have partnered to create the Bank of America Community Resilience Grant Program. This $50,000 grant opportunity is designed to amplify resiliency projects within low-to-moderate income (LMI) neighborhoods, increasing green infrastructure in the areas that need it most. Through this program, Bank of America and the Arbor Day Foundation will support community resilience in two ways:

Resilience projects: successful applicants will install a project in an LMI area of the community that utilizes trees and green infrastructure as a solution to current challenges and builds capacity to better respond to future events. Issues addressed by the project may include one or more of the following:

Tree distributions: As part of a green infrastructure project being installed on public property—or as a stand-alone project—successful applicants may choose to conduct a tree distribution for neighborhood residents to extend the benefits of green infrastructure to private property. Local community service organizations that engage residents in proper tree planting and care may be particularly suited to leading this (portion of the) project.

If your community has a resiliency project that falls within the realm above, we want to hear about it! Please click here to find out more information and apply for this opportunity today!

If you have questions regarding this program or your project’s eligibility, please contact bankofamericagrants@arborday.org.